THE PAINTED BIRD (18)

WHO’S IN IT?

Petr Kotlár (film debut), Nina Šunevič (film debut), Ala Sakalova (film debut), Udo Kier (Epidemic), Michaela Doležalová (Lezáky 42), Stellan Skarsgård (Good Will Hunting), Harvey Keitel (Reservoir Dogs), Julian Sands (The Killing Fields), Júlia Vidrnáková (film debut), Lech Dyblik (The Revenge), Aleksei Kravchenko (Come and See), Barry Pepper (Saving Private Ryan), Petr Vaněk (Child 44), Radim Fiala (Dark Blue World), Jitka Čvančarová (Men in Hope)

WHO’S BEHIND THE CAMERA?

Václav Marhoul (Tobruk), director, writer, producer; Aleksandr Kushaev (How I Ended This Summer), producer; Vladimír Smutný (Dark Blue World), cinematographer; Ludek Hudec (Smart Philip), editor

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

During the final days of the Second World War, a young Jewish boy (Kotlár) is sent by his parents to live with relatives in Eastern Europe to avoid persecution. However, when tragedy strikes, the boy is forced to take care of himself on his own…

IN ONE SENTENCE, WHY SHOULD YOU BE EXCITED?

Told in brutal black-and-white cinematography, The Painted Bird is an essential piece of world cinema that hits on some truly devastating aspects of life in war-torn Europe.

WHEN’S IT OUT?

FRIDAY 11TH SEPTEMBER 2020

Want to decide what the movie’s like for yourself?
Check out The Painted Bird
via 

Search from over ten years of movies here:

Other recent reviews:

Whalefall (dir. Brian Duffield)

A young diver finds himself trapped in the stomach of a sperm whale…

Street Fighter (dir. Kitao Sakurai)

Estranged friends Ken Masters and Ryu compete in a deadly tournament…

Forgotten Island (dirs. Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado)

Two childhood friends venture to a mythical land that tests their friendship…

BFI London Film Festival 2026 Reviews: Elsinore, La Bola Negra and more!

Our first collection of reviews from this year’s BFI London Film Festival, including awards-tipped favourites like Elsinore and La Bola Negra!

Other Mommy (dir. Rob Savage)

A young girl is haunted by a creature that has taken the form of her mother…

The Social Reckoning (dir. Aaron Sorkin)

A whistleblower works with a tech journalist to expose harmful Facebook data…

The Uprising (dir. Paul Greengrass)

In 1381, a ploughman leads a peasants’ revolt against the British Crown…

Verity (dir. Michael Showalter)

The mysterious life of comatose novelist Verity Crawford is slowly uncovered…

Digger (dir. Alejandro G. Iñárritu)

Oil tycoon Digger Rockwell attempts to save humanity from his own disaster…

Extra Geography (dir. Molly Manners)

At an English boarding school, two friends navigate the trials of girlhood…

Optimized by Optimole